title: The Apical Ectodermal Ridge: morphological aspects and signaling pathways.
abstract: The Apical Ectodermal Ridge (AER) is one of the main signaling centers during limb development. It controls outgrowth and patterning in the proximo-distal axis. In the last few years a considerable amount of new data regarding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying AER function and structure has been obtained. In this review, we describe and discuss current knowledge of the regulatory networks which control the induction, maturation and regression of the AER, as well as the link between dorso-ventral patterning and the formation and position of the AER. Our aim is to integrate both recent and old knowledge to produce a wider picture of the AER which enhances our understanding of this relevant structure.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Anatomía y Biología Celular, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain.
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Teran
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ros
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics*; D004475:Ectoderm / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004627:Embryonic Induction / Q000235:genetics; D005121:Extremities / Q000196:embryology*; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018878:Limb Buds / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics*; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors